Dolphins bill appears stalled in Fla. House; Still moving in Senate

The Miami Dolphins’ push for new legislation to approve a tax-supported
stadium upgrade appears to be is stalling in the Florida House, where the
powerful budget chairman has no plans to hear the bill this week.

Rep. Seth McKeel,
R-Lakeland, made it clear that the bill would not be heard this week, and there
are currently no committee meetings scheduled for next week.

His comments came on Wednesday after the Appropriations
Committee met. The Dolphins bill, which was last heard two weeks ago, was not
on Wednesday’s agenda.

Though session in winding down, the bill is certainly not
dead.

The Senate plans to hear a different version of the bill on Thursday,
and could be the team’s saving grace. If the Senate approves the bill and sends
it to the House, it could pass without clearing all of its assigned committees
in the House.

McKeel did not say specifically who was lobbying him on the bill
or why he wasn’t putting the bill up for a vote.

“I get lobbied about a lot of things,” he said.

Both the Dolphins’ lobbyist Ron Book and billionaire
opponent Norman Braman have lobbied lawmakers on the bill. Conservative group
Americans for Prosperity has also come
out strongly against all bills to provide taxpayer dollars to sports teams.

The Dolphins are hoping Miami-Dade County
will raise the mainland hotel tax from 6 percent to 7 percent, to provide
funding for a stadium renovation that could cost more than $350 million. The
team is also requesting up to $90 million in sales tax rebates from the state
of Florida.

After reaching
a deal with the Dolphins, Miami-Dade
County is planning to hold
a referendum on May 14 to give voters the final say on the deal. If the deal
does not pass in Tallahassee,
the referendum will be a moot point.